Note: As of October 8, 2016, Mt. Tibig is closed to hiking activities. Please view this Mountain News article for more information.
BACKGROUND
Lying in the slopes of Mt. Banoi rises Mt. Tibig, a small but very scenic sub-mountain of the range that is an easy and refreshing hike in the town of Lobo, Batangas. Taking just one or two hours to climb, the mountain is comparable to Gulugod Baboy or Maculot in terms of difficulty, with a terrain that is highly reminiscent of Banoi itself or nearby Mt. Daguldol: agricultural woodlands, a bit of a forest, and then a grassy, ridge-like peak that faces the Verde Island Passage, just as Tarak Ridge faces Manila Bay.

The trail is surprisingly well-established from the trailhead to the summit, starting from a rough road in the village of Hulong Banalo. From this road, the initial part of the trial may feel steep but the brevity of the trail itself compensates for this trail gradient by allowing hikers to take their time. A nipa hut in Sitio Tibig serves as a landmark, past it, there is some more woodland that quickly gives way to a talahiban in the tradition of Kalisungan and Tagapo. One can see the connection to Mt. Banoi – a sloped northwesterly face that opens up the possibility of a traverse.

At the summit, the centrepiece of the views is Verde Island and the passage that bears its name. To its south lies Mindoro, including the chief of its mountains, Mt. Halcon. Then, to the north of the passage stands the other mountains west of Lobo: Pulot Itaas and Pinamucan, both of which little is known in terms of hiking, but is full of potential. Some rocky perches are scattered in the summit area, making for nice viewpoints. As in Tarak Ridge, the winds are coastal and refreshing. As a standalone dayhike, a relaxing overnighter, or part of a longer Lobo mountain trip, Mt. Tibig is a highly recommended mountain to climb in Southern Batangas.

Public (1) Bus, Cubao or Buendia to Batangas City [170 pesos; 2.5 hours]
(2) Jeep, Balagtas to Lobo Jeepney Terminal [20 pesos; 25 minutes]
(3) Jeep, Jeepney Terminal to Lobo poblacion [56 pesos; 1 hour]
(4) Tricycle, Lobo poblacion to Hulong Banalo [120 pesos/trip/3 persons; 30 minutes]Private Head out to Batangas City via SLEX-Star Tollway then take the road to Lobo, Batangas. From the poblacion, follow the coastal Lobo-Ilijan-Batangas City road then make a right turn at Banalo Elementary School and the follow through the rough road until you reach the last basketball court. Approximately 3.5 hours travel time.

Registration

(1) Logbook at Lobo police station
No fees are collected at the moment.

This is a very new hiking destination so many changes may still happen in the itinerary and in the process of going up the mountain.

Sidetrips

Lobo beach; Mt. Tibig can itself be a side trip of a more substantial Lobo hiking trip alongside the peaks of the Lobo-San Juan Mountain Range (see more information in the Mt. Tibig blog by Ramon Gayas, Jr.)